


Blueprints, Landscrapes, and Remodelling

by artificiallifecreator



Series: The Birdies Got Away from Me [2]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Desert Island, F/M, Gen, M/M, tropical island
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-14
Updated: 2014-03-11
Packaged: 2018-01-12 10:52:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1185379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artificiallifecreator/pseuds/artificiallifecreator
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Let's hope the sea level doesn't change for the higher.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Nants Igonyama Bagithi

**Author's Note:**

> I highly recommend reading _Athene Noctua_ first as I don't really go into the background of the story, or more importantly, _why_ they buy an island. Hilarity be abound however.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd rather have the chapter title in IPA (I don't feel Roman Script fully covers the words) but no one posted that. I'll transcribe it... eventually. Also, if by cutting off the last two words I totally butchered the sentence, I am so, so sorry, and I'll edit the title to include the 'my father' bit. That may actually be fitting anyway...
> 
> This takes place long, long before _A Typical Tropical Island_. I had this weird feeling that it should be its own thing so I made two works instead of one.

Long before their Drift, but shortly after they were forced into the same lab space in Hong Kong, Newt was trying really, _really_ hard to convince Hermann that remodelling the space was a _fantastic_ idea. 'Remodelling' in the sense of 'tearing down' and by 'space', _that_ wall.  


Hermann found the lab perfectly acceptable (barring the excess of Kaiju remains and irritating xeno/zoo/bio/whatever~logist).  


And then the handy-dandy Shatterdome Contractor got involved, "regretfully" informing Newt that the wall in question was, in fact, a load-bearing wall and removing it would bring the upstairs down upon their heads. Newt remarked he wouldn't mind a skylight. SC remarked they were a few stories underground and the people between them and the outside would not appreciate being displaced; also, a skylight that far away would be inconsequential in terms of light.  


When Hermann tried to enter the lab the next morning, the smell of wet paint was so strong it was like walking into a wall.  


"Doctor Geiszler-"  


"NEWT!"  


"What have you done?!"  


"I made it pretty," said Newt.  


Hermann took in their that massive sunset adorning that _entire_ side of the lab: "What is that?"  


"I call it, "The Load-Bearing Wall of Life!"  


Sun _rise_ then.  


"Very well. I'll leave you and your fumes alone."  


"Oh, I got this is for you. So your side won't feel left out."  


A red and blue plush came sailing across the room, and it was only with years of training that Hermann didn't flinch.  


"A toy bird."  


"Iago, in fact. They're not from the same movie, but meh. He's supposedly named after that asshole from that Shakespeare play. What better to impersonate a lying, scheming coot than with a lying, scheming coot?"  


"You mean to mock my father with an idiot bird."  


"Exactly. I'm doing it with a mural."

The "Load-Bearing Wall of Life" was eventually covered by the slowly encroaching mass of posters and charts. After a while, they'd forgotten about it completely.  


Or so Hermann'd thought. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Circle of Life", _Lion King_ , Disney, 1994.  
>  _Aladdin_ , Disney, 1992


	2. Holmes on Homes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"....any sort of wall they have to build turning into the "*** Wall of Life."_ \- pickleplum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot happened; if I'd kept the old chapter 2 there would be far more timeline jumping than I'd prefer.

With the invasion of the Kaiju and the consequential tsunami and costal degradation, the demand for beach-side vacation homes had plummeted considerably. Mako, being Mako, would not be swayed and couldn't wait to start building whether or not a designer was involved. 

"Do you remember that scene," said Newt, sitting down beside Hermann, "In one of the PERN books - I'm pretty sure it was The White Dragon - when Jaxom was recovering from FireHead?"

"You mean when they were trying to build a house on the tropical island and Sharra…"

"Totally took over because the Northerners were building a northern house and they would roast? Exactly. I'm thinking we may want to take an architecture class or read up on building or something."

Hermann, running through his mental database of construction, replied, "I can see how that may be prudent."

  


Hermann got his first warning, had he realized it as such, when his tablet's browser opened to 'How to Add Handwritten Text to Type: A Guide for Artists'.

  


Mako and Newt happily dove head-first into learning all there was to learn about windows, doors, and everything else building-related. Newt also re-read _The White Dragon_ and cross-referenced Sharra's requirements with his textbooks.

"You interested in any of these?" he asked one afternoon. 

"I have a few cycles to spare," replied Hermann. 

"You'll want to start with _Walls_ and then see how they tie in with _House-Building for Dummies_. I'll drop 'em off in your room when I get back." 

"Doesn't the show start tomorrow?"

"Hardware store tonight - they have all these nice displays set up- get to see how doors and windows look in context! - convention's tomorrow. D'you wanna come to that?"

"I'll see how far I get on the Breach calculation tonight."

Mako knocked and poked her head in the door. "Newt? The taxi's here."

Newt shoved _At Home_ (Bill Bryson) into his bag - "Awesome! Later Herm!" - And dashed out the door. 

_Deep breaths Hermann, killing him would only make more paperwork for the Marshall._

  


Later that night, when Newt caught up to him leaving the lab, Hermann said, "I would never have thought hardware stores could occupy an entire afternoon and evening."

"You have _no_ idea. None! We were there for _hours_ , and then it was suppertime and I couldn't find a phone to call you and say we were gonna be hours, and then Mako had more things on her list and places were still open {and she wouldn't let me leave until we'd reported to Alison…}" Newt flopped face-first onto their bed, "I didn't sign up for this!"

"You agreed to do a project with Ranger Mori. There is no way that you did not 'sign up for this'."

"Lies!" cried Newt, making an extra effort to be clear and letting it all go to waste when he dropped his head back down, "And dashing off at some ungodly hour tomorrow…"

"It's hardly 'dashing off' if there's time for breakfast," scoffed Hermann. 

"How d'you know there'll be breakfast?"

"Ranger Mori knows how to take care of herself, unlike some people I know. When does she want to leave tomorrow?"

"Six? Five? 'Tearing out the door' o'clock?" 

"You'll appreciate her efforts when we have livable house."

Newt rolled onto his side, "Oh yea, "you'll enjoy networking" says the guy who hates crowds." He tried smothering himself with the comforter again. "Pffft…"

"I'll do my best to contain my glee."

Newt pushed himself up with one hand, "Ye know, at this point I care _way_ more about the Breach - or the continuing lack-there-of - than the house."

"You'll feel better in the morning," promised Hermann. 

Newt had already fallen asleep.

  


The next morning, they both had a point: Newt flew out of bed, dove into the shower, threw on the - _it's totally a blue moon_ \- clean clothes Hermann had laid out, brushed his teeth while pulling on socks (it didn't end well), nudged Hermann awake, and pointed out a stack of supposedly-bound pages while bouncing in place with excitement, "I put the books there - we're still looking at the potential problems that come with each what-che-ma-thing-y - if you come up with any go forth and scribble bye!" [2]

At a much more relaxed pace, Hermann extricated himself from the dinosaur quilt Raleigh had made for Newt, snagged the books, and retreated back to his bed. His day normally wouldn't start for another hour, so there was no harm in taking a moment to think about creating. He turned them over in his hands, able to put them in Newt's recommended reading order for the first time. 

Herman would admire Newt's self-control and dedication at some point - managing to simply call the book _Walls_ the night before and adding 'of life' to every single instance of 'wall' in the entire book - but not yet. 

  


He realized he'd read four chapters in one sitting three hours later. After awhile, Newt's scrawl faded into the background, though his more intelligent notes were reasonably interesting. The authors wrote well enough; they didn't use 'wall' every time it came up but changed the wording around so it could have been far more… Newt could have had far more 'walls' to deface. Hermann wouldn't call it an ordeal because no one was forcing Newt to annotate nearly every line of every page, nor would he consider this a 'waste of time' because he appreciated the sentiment, however under no circumstances would he give Newt a smidgen of credit.

  


"Good afternoon Mr Choi,"

"'Afternoon Dr Gottlieb, Dr Geiszler get out okay this morning?"

"The efficiency of Ranger Mori would suggest as much; how did they seem to you?"

"I didn't hear anything from Alison after she left our quarters so I can only assume the best."

"How is your son? This is the first time you've had him on your own I believe."

Tendo shrugged and leaned against the wall of life-

"You okay there, Dr Gottlieb? You went all funny-coloured there for a second."

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you Mr Choi. If you would excuse me, the Breach isn't of a mind to calculate its own chances of re-opening."

Tendo laughed, "Don't go anthromorphizing- or is it sympathizing?"

"Personifying, I believe.""

"Whichever. Don't do any of 'em. Next thing you know you'll be wanting a diving bell to 'see it up close'."

"I assure you Mr Choi, I'm not Dr Geiszler."

Tendo narrowed his eyes but he still grinned: "I know what Drifting does to a pair."

They went their seperate ways, and Hermann comforted himself with the thought that his slip-up was entirely Newt and had absolutely nothing to do with subliminal text. 

Nothing at all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1]: The 'Hong Kong Builders' Association' is a thing; I don't know if they have stuff like the 'House and Home Show' where I live; I do not live in Hong Kong, nor do I speak the language. I suppose I could drop by the embassy and bug the people there... Field Trip!  
> Edit: There is no [1] in the document; in the first draft, I had Mako and Newt attending the 'The Hong Kong Builders' Association Convention', but the line was cut. 
> 
> [2]: This is kinda from where the chapter title came. I remember reading an article Mike Holmes had written about DIY projects in the paper; he said "a DIY book will tell you how to fix a problem (I think it was icing?) but it won't tell you how to stop the problem from happening (a leak in your roof) so you'll have to re-do the process the next year."
> 
>  
> 
> Edit: I was not terribly pleased with this chapter (I can do so much better than this!) but I wanted it up before anyone commented on the fic. First time I've been thankful for that wee zero XD. I was thinking it was because I did a lot of 'telling' and not a lot of 'showing'; I feel much better with the changes. In both versions I tried following the advice of Chuck Palahniuk (link's on the next page); I was more blown away with the next chapter than I am of this one but that's okay. I also wanted to say (the last time) that I have Newt and Hermann communicating/replying/talking with 'what I meant' versus 'what I said', for instance when Newt asked "Are you interested in [the books]?" What he meant was "do you have the attention necessary to absorb this knowledge?" because of course Hermann's interested and he knows that.


	3. Museum Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Library trucks, chalk, and tours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a compilation of snippets and stray paragraphs, so this was never a chapter unto itself. Oddly enough, with a little tweaking, they all kinda worked together. If I'd posted it as 'chapter 4', there would, again, be too much "this takes place before this chapter but after that chapter".
> 
> Ah yes, so there is potential for people getting angry with this chapter because Newt makes an awful pun about retaining walls, specifically levees and dikes. It is a really, really bad pun because they are both retaining walls and not because he (and I) are making a slur untoward anyone. Am I supposed to note the appropriate parties/raise awareness that it is a slur and they are bad (am I saying this in the right way?) or is the disclaimer good as is?

At the point when Mako and Newt had consumed enough material to fill a library truck, Hermann had defeated (read: promoted to 'peer-review') one journal paper and had set his sights on another one (this time about how Kaiju Blue couldn't possibly more dangerous than nuclear radiation). [1]

Cue Newt, a book, a magazine.

As a bundle of manic energy, he literally bounced into the lab, slid right past Hermann, tried to compensate, flailed, and avoided the splits by lunging forward. He picked himself up and dropped the two-page spread of a volcano onto Hermann's desk, quite effectively interrupting the battle.

"Guess what this is," he grinned, pointing at some internal mechanism.

"The chimney."

"The dike of life," snickered Newt.

"…"

"Yea, it's a pretty bad pun."

"That's a pun."

"Yup, 'cause…" He tossed the book over his shoulder and snapped open the magazine, "This is the Levee of Life!"

Every fiber in Hermann's being groaned collectively. He turned away and rolled back to the wall of life of chalkboards. [2]

"You are beyond terrible Newton," said Hermann. He went to write down a thought and came up with nothing but dust. "For the love of God Newton stop stealing my chalk!"

"But it's the only thing that'll write on everything!"

"A magic marker won't do? Chalk's not even permanent!"

Hermann (probably didn't) break out in goosebumps at Newt's silence (but it most certainly felt like it), and glanced over his shoulder.

Newt grinned evilly from ear to ear. "Oh, I see how it is," he cackled.

"Newt-,"

Newt sprinted from the room, yelling "You love it dude! There's no going back now!"

  


Newt's research (and consequent chalk theft) exhausted so many avenues that when SC's 'Architecture in Context' tour took Hermann down to the very foundations of the Shatterdome], he could identify most of the chalk-white scrawl on the spot.

"Clearly Newton was here," he grumbled (not admitting he was unsure why Newt had repeated 'Z' four times).

SC ran her hand along the chalk - "Sleeping…? Oh!" She laughed. "It's a sleeper wall of life!"[3]

  


When it came to the actual design process however, Hermann took SC aside when Newt started talking about a retractable roof.

"I do not wish to temper his enthusiasm, but…"

"You would like to be kept in the loop by approving all the changes?" SC suggested.

"That would be best," replied Hermann.

"I've got this weird impression that things would go a lot faster if I discussed details separately," she added.

While this decision avoided quite a bit of turbulence, it also left Newt with a lot of time to exploit.

Time in which he could, for instance, deface blueprints.

"Is that for you or for me?" asked SC upon noticing Newt's familiar scrawl in places where shouldn't be. 

"I don't think it's for either of us," said Hermann, running a finger over one of the labels. Any one of the labels really, Newt had gone at most of them.

"Well, if we adjust this 'Load-Bearing Wall of Life', we can put in sliding doors all along the back and you can open it all up to the deck."

"That is acceptable," said Hermann.

"Have you given any more thought to the retaining- oh, he was here too."

It would be unprofessional for Hermann to roll his eyes.

Very unprofessional.[4]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1]: I couldn't think of a negative word for 'promoted' alas. The reason Hermann's fighting with these things is because I believe journals take peer reviews into account, and since he's currently the biggest name in science (tied with Newt of course), he can totally and completely debunk nonsense papers. Also, see Chapter 17 of _Athene Noctura_ for the paper's inspiration. 
> 
> [2]: There are two kinds of sleeper walls. One kind is made of railway sleepers, the other is for houses without basements. I _think_ they're both retaining walls. The one in the Shatterdome is neither, but the information in the segment would not fit with the timeline. Just pretend. 
> 
> Also, punny. 
> 
> [3]:I wanted to add this, but it didn't quite fit and barricades are a kind of wall: "If anything, the chalkboards were a barricade between the cold sheet metal and Hermann's side of the lab."
> 
> [4]: I'm unsure whether this truly fits; The whole chapter was originally going to be 'Newt by Design', however it only described this chunk.


	4. Secret Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt and the Label Maker. 
> 
> Do I really need to say more?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thaaaank you pickleplum!!! Thank you Pacific Rim!
> 
> This used to be Chapter 3, and then plot happened. Now it's Chapter 4. They're on their island now.

Newt's garden, a pretty, tidy affair in planters along the deck had spilled down onto the terrace and was slowly but surely laying claim to the path.  


Herman _could_ potentially try making his way down the path, but excess potting soil - rather, dirt of any kind - made the going slippery. Throw in a few spades for good measure and whether or not Hermann landed on any of the cardboard travel pots, he would have cuts and broken bones to spare. While he didn't mind Newt fussing over him, proving him right too often ("Ack! Herm! Careful dude!") could set a dangerous precedent.[1] Besides, Hermann hadn't stopped fighting for order in the whirlwind that was Newt and he most certainly wouldn't stop now. [2]  


"Newton," he called.  


"Oh, jeez, sorry Hermann!" Newt scuttled forward and cleared the walkway of dirt, spades, and empty pots.  


"This is getting ridiculous," said Hermann as he settled on a bench, "Do you even know what you planted?"  


"Uh... Vaguely? The seed packs are in order... Sorta."  


"But we threw those out yesterday. I'll fetch them."  


Newt waved him away, "It's fine, I'll get 'em."  


"I'll organize some place cards."  


"You have place cards? Of course you have place cards, why'm I even asking that."  


"Would you consider revisiting the idea of a greenhouse?"  


"Doesn't seem so crazy anymore, right? We should totally build one of 'em."  


  


So Hermann and Newt sat down and started making little signs for each plant. It was about that time that Newt discovered a love of labelling:  


He gave each cable and power cord a little ID tag and bought latex paint. Before too long, and coloured every single one was a different shade.  


"How is that of any use to both of us?"  


"Ummmm…" Cue Lightbulb: "You can have Ghost-Drift induced dreams about them! Won't make you sick like the Ante-Verse, right?"  


  


Each shelf in the medicine chest listed its occupants.  


"You know you won't actually be able to throw things in willy-nilly anymore."  


"It's not "willy-nilly"; I always put everything away according to a very complex organizational system. I will admit it is sometimes a little too complex."  


  


In the kitchen, all the cupboards had their contents printed on the downward-facing edge of their doors.  


"No more skipping out on making means because you "don't know where anything is"," Hermann warned.  


"Cooking's awesome! I love cooking!"  


(They had almost the exact same conversation in the laundry room, except with clothes instead of food.  


"Of course, how could I have mistaken your three sets of clothes as being your only three outfits.")  


  


Newt eventually made it back outside, only to discover that not everything could (or would) accept a cue card on a stick, nor did the label stickers stick to much.  


"I don't have any waterproof chalk - I'm honestly shocked you haven't developed some yet - so we won't live in a complete Bat Cave," Newt apologized.  


"I have no idea what you just said," replied Hermann, returning TV-turned-touchscreen remote to its spot in the coffee table drawer (helpfully marked with "TV-Turned-Touchscreen remote home" so as not to be confused with the actual touchscreen TV in the next room.[3] 'Thank you for saving the world' gifts: how wonderful). "Don't forget your hands."  


"Hands?" Newt brushed hair from his face, leaving behind a streak of soil, "Oh, hands." He kicked off his sandals and wandered into the kitchen. "Right, Bat Cave. You know, Batman's Bat Cave!" he explained over the sound of the faucet, "Nothing? Really? You never read comics?"  


"I thought we'd already established that."  


"It's true, we have, remind me to fix that. Everything was labelled, see, even the emergency ladder." Newt adopted a deeper voice and furrowed his forehead: "Emergency Bat Ladder." He sat down and jumped right back up, "I labelled all the tools."  


Indeed, the gardening fork he'd pulled from his back pocket did in fact say 'gardening fork'.  


"I'm gonna-," Newt nodded towards the door.  


"Shoes," said Hermann, "And check the rest of your pockets."  


"Riiiiight."  


When he'd returned, Hermann continued: "You wanted to label the garden wall-"  


"Of Life!"  


"I'm not developing waterproof chalk for that," said Hermann.  


He didn't trust the evil glint in Newt's eye.[4]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1]: _The Big Bang Theory_ The line fit so well it refused to be replaced.  
>  [2}: Mental note to me, remember to ask Mom about her studying habits in university for the best possible description. 
> 
> [3]: Two summers ago, I worked in a computer lab. One afternoon, a friend of mine hung out in the office (read: tiny hallway) my now-boyfriend and I shared and totally flipped when my darling went from tapping away at his keyboard to poking at the screen.  
> "That is so cool!" she exclaimed.  
> My darling and I kinda shrugged and tried to wrangle an end to our tasks.  
> She squee-d a bit more, then appologized for her enthusiasm, blaming her excitment on a lack of exposure.  
> With a final glare, I murdered my work and turned to her, "Don't be sorry," I said, "I was as excited as you were at the beginning of the summer. The novelty's just... kinda... worn off." I led her to the main room, and gestured. "There are two active touch screen monitors in that room, another active one in the middle room as well as four in boxes, 15 in the third room - only three in use, four in the sunroom, and," I turned her so she could see all three big-screen TVs: "These are just TVs with a touchscreen panel over top - this set up's cheaper than a touchscreen of similar size. Now, see that end table?"  
> Even though it was mostly buried under a pile of papers, some recycling, and an empty pizza box, she nodded.  
> "That's a touchscreen too."
> 
> I imagine in 2023 they'd be a lot cheaper but I needed a reason to introduce a remote XD And then I remembered 'saving the world gifts'. Eh, they're just giving everyone their time to shine.
> 
> [4]: I'm gonna drop this story thread because it would involve Newt getting one of Hermann's chalkboards wet and ruining some of the equations and I don't really want to put them through that. Though, truth be told, I am surprised Hermann's equations made it the whole 10 years without Newt getting them wet with... something. Water. Disinfectant. Kaiju blood. Other Kaiju fluid. Kaiju guts.
> 
> I tried here to write according to [”Writing Advice: by Chuck Palahniuk"](http://shmoo92.tumblr.com/post/74237849533/writing-advice-by-chuck-palahniuk-in-six#notes) which basically turned this into a practice of "Goodbye 'to be' paradigm!" It links to the post on my tumblr. I would say my efforts turned out reasonably well.  
> 15 edits later (Edit: make that 16) I may actually have this chapter (and stuff) decent... this is turning into Ethics WHICH GOT APPROVED PEOPLE CELEBRATE!!!! Anyone else hitting the 'Edit Chapter' button a literal ton?  
> There are three more chapters planned - one is a direct off-shoot of this one, another takes place in Mako and Raleigh's retreat, and the last takes place on a boat. What scenarios does your brain cook-up when I say stuff like "...a direct off-shoot"?  
> Heh. Punny.  
> 

**Author's Note:**

> Anyone know of any other kinds of walls?


End file.
